1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computer systems, and more specifically to the digital rights management of collections of objects such as CAD assemblies.
2. Description of the Related Art
In network-based computer environments, large collections of objects (e.g., files) may be stored and managed by server(s) on behalf of multiple users that may access objects in the collections remotely via workstations. In many such environments, digital rights of the objects in the collections may be managed via one or more servers, which may be, but are not necessarily, the server(s) that store and manage the collections of objects. When a user on a workstation initiates an operation that involves one or more objects in the collections, digital rights information related to the operation, user, and object(s) may be remotely accessed via the network from one or more of the server(s) that manage the digital rights for the collection. If such an operation happens to involve many such rights-managed objects, many separate accesses to the server(s) may be generated to access the digital rights information for the objects.
Network-based Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems are exemplary of a network-based computer environment in which digital rights management (DRM) of large collections of objects may be implemented. CAD systems may be used by architects, engineers, drafters, artists, and others to create precision drawings or technical illustrations. CAD software (referred to herein as CAD applications) may be used to create two-dimensional (2-D) drawings or three-dimensional (3-D) models. Closely related CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing) is software used to design products such as electronic circuit boards in computers and other devices. CAD systems may range from low-end systems intended for personal use that may be implemented and executed as a CAD application on a personal computer to high-end, network-implemented systems, department-wide or possibly even enterprise-wide systems, with multiple high-end CAD workstations, CAD file servers, high-end printers, and possibly other infrastructure and components, and on which collections of CAD objects may be accessed by or shared among various users in the enterprise or possibly even accessed by or distributed to others outside the enterprise.